Cooking stove illuminator



P 1957 R. B. JANES ETAL 2,806,936

COOKING STOVE ILLUMINATOR Filed Dec. 21, 1954 INVENTORS.

- fwz m ATTORNEYS United States Patent Ofifice Patented Sept. 17, 1957 COOKING srovn ILLUMINATOR Richard Bolton .lanes and Charles W. Sanders, Greenville, Mich assignors, by mesne assignments, to Hupp Corporation, Detroit, Mich, a corporation of Virginia Application December 21, 1954, Serial No. 476,792

2 Claims. (Cl. 240-2) This invention relates to a range back panel structure, and more particularly to the back splasher or back panel of a range in which lighting means are provided for illuminating the cooking surface of the range and the instrument panel.

The back panel or back splasher of a cooking range provides a very convenient area for the mounting of control instruments, in that the instruments are thus supported in a position in which they do not obstruct the cooking operation while at the same time they are supported for ready visual examination. One problem which has long attended the use of cooking ranges is the tendency for instrument panels and other chrome or metal-equipped portions of the panel to become obscured With a smudge or grease film as food vapors condense upon such objects. When, for example, the oven door is open or left partially open, the rising gases are often grease-laden and laden with other condensable material. Particularly is the result unsatisfactory when the film collects upon instrument panels so that the indicia, etc. are diflicult to observe.

A primary object of the present invention is to provide effective lighting means whereby instruments on the panel are illuminated, while at the same time providing means for lessening or preventing the condensation of food vapors upon the instruments themselves. A further object is to provide means for floodlighting the cooking top of a range while at the same time concentrating light beams upon the back panel in such a manner as to illuminate the operating portions of the instruments so that they may be accurately and quickly operated. Yet another object is to provide, in combination with the back panel of a range, means for utilizing heated air arising from the range top and concentrating said air in a stream which sweeps the outer surface of the instrument panel to prevent grease vapors and other vapors from the outer area above the range top from condensing upon said panel. Still another object is to provide within a range back panel recessed portions for receiving control instruments, the operating portions of the instruments extending be yond the recess, whereby the operating portions are set out in relief so as to give an eflective illumination of the indicia and other parts thereof. Other specific objects and advantages will appear as the specification proceeds.

The invention is shown, in an illustrative embodiment, by the accompanying drawing, in which Figure 1 is a broken, perspective view of a range cooking top equipped at its rear with a back splasher or back panel; and Fig. 2, an enlarged vertical sectional view.

In the illustration given, A designates a range equipped with a cooking top 10, having disposed therein on one side electric coil burners 11. To the rear of the cooking top is a back splasher or back panel 12. It will be understood that any type of cooking range and form of back panel may be employed.

In the upper portion of the back panel 12, we provide a recess 13, in which is mounted an instrument 14 having an operating knob 15. The operating knob 15 extends beyond the recess, but is spaced inwardly from the edges of the recess. Operating instruments 16 may also be provided in the lower portion of the back panel 12.

The side portions of the back panel are preferably provided with side brackets 17 and 13, and between these brackets extends a light shield or visor 19. The shield is therefore mounted substantially midway between the upper and lower limits of the panel. Within the chamber provided by the shield 19 is mounted a fluorescent lamp 20, the tube of which extends between the brackets 17 and 18 and substantially all the way across the range. Below the lamp 20 is a Wide opening 21, through which the light rays may pass to substantially flood the top or cooking plate of the range. At the rear of the shield 19 there is provided an opening or aperture 22, through which light may be directed upwardly toward the instruments 15 and ornamental elements on the top of the range back panel.

The fluorescent globe or tube 20 may be formed with various colors such as, for example, light green, pink, red rose, blue, yellow, white, etc., and such colors give a third dimensional effect to the back panel and range appearance. Particularly do the instruments and other indicia stand out in eiiective visual relief in the recesses in which they are positioned.

The aperture 22 is preferably in the form of an elongated slot extending the full length of the shield 19, but, if desired, the aperture may be restricted in length to a space below the instruments 15 or specific portions of the top panel. We have found that when the shield extends forwardly over the lower wall portion of the back panel, clean, heated air arising from the burners passes upwardly and is concentrated at the rear of the shield and then is discharged through the narrow escape port 22 so as to be concentrated on the instruments. This current of clean air prevents grease-laden air from the outer portion of the range and over the range top from condensing on the instruments. Further, by supporting the instruments within recesses, we find that the instrument knobs or outer surfaces are highlighted with the structure shown, in that while the outer portions of the recess are in shadow, the exposed outer surface of the instrument is brilliantly illuminated and set out in relief.

In the operation of the structure, we find that even though cooking vessels are placed upon the heating coils 11, the vapors from the food tend to rise at a point parallel with or above the shield 19. Normally such vapors would tend to drift toward the back panel and to condense on ornamental or instrument surfaces. With the present structure, however, we find that clean, heated air rising from the innermost burners 11 pass along the rear back panel wall and are collected within the inclined shield 19, being then discharged in a thin stream through the aperture or elongated opening 22 in a direction generally aligned with the outer surface of the instruments 15. Such heated, clean air forms a transparent air curtain across the instruments and the ornamental features on the upper portion of the range back panel, and keeps the panel area and ornamental area clean and free from film, smudge, etc. At the same time, the elongated opening or slot 22 permits the passage of light rays in a direction generally tangent to the recess 13, so as to leave the recess portions in shadow, and such a shadow background is eflective in setting out in relief the exposed instrument portions 15 which meet the direct and reflected rays of light from the lamp 20. As a result of the combined operations described, the instruments are kept clear and highly illuminated over long periods of time, thus utilizing the light efl'iciency of the lamp 20 to its utmost.

While, in the specific illustration give-n, we have shown only two instruments 15, it will be understood that the instruments normally employed are many in number and instrument, whereby, heated, clean air from the range top extend a substantial distance across the panel. Further, I

in addition to such instruments, ornamental metal parts are usually employed therewith in the area above the light shield.

While, in the foregoing specification, we have set 'forth a specific structure in considerable detail for the purpose of illustrating an embodiment of the invention, it'will be understood that such details of structure maybe varied widely by those skilled in the art without departing from the spirit of our invention.

We claim:

1. In combination with a range back panel'having a recess in the upper portion thereof and an instrument mounted within said recess, said instrument having an operating portion extending forwardly within said recess, a. shield carried by said panel below said instrument and projecting forwardly and away from said panel and said instrument, a light tube mounted within said shield, said shield being open at its bottom and having also a longitudinally-extending slot at the rear thereof below said passes upwardly through the open bottom of said shield and streams upwardly through said slot across the upper portion of said panel and across the face of the instrument mounted thereon.

2. The structure of claim 1, in which the recess about said instrument forms a shadow and in which the forward portion of the instrument is in the line of illumination by rays from said light tube passing upwardly through said slot.

References, Cited in the file of this patent UNITED STATES PATENTS 1,188,596 Wilson June 27, 1916 1,501,102 Duncan July 15, 1924 2,149,769 Hofiman Mar. 7, 1939 2,648,305 Appleman Aug. 11, 1953 2,701,541 

